Ordered a 3120!

[CinderSchnauzer]

Please let us know how quickly you can get the mower on and off. That's one of the attachments I will be debating over the next year as my walk-behind is slowly dying.

Removing the 72" 7-Iron is relatively easy, first because everything is perfectly aligned when the unit is dropped to the ground. Second gravity works for you - remove a pin the link drops down. Turn the Rear Wheels sideways, drop the unit to the ground. Essentially there are 7 pins to remove. Five of those are spring loaded - two are pins with a wire keeper. Last there is the Mid PTO. Removal / Installation on a hard surface would definitely be an advantage at any time it is necessary to move the unit.

Installation takes a bit longer since in addition to getting the unit generally placed under the tractor, there is a bit more fiddling to achieve alignment. Installing the links / pins is a bit more two handed - one hand to hold the link in place and the other to install the pin. At some points, lying on the ground cannot be avoided.

I suspect with a bit of practice removal could be achieved in the 10 minute or less range and Install in the 15 minute or less range. If this becomes a twice a season operation, where it's necessary to read the manual each time, then double or triple the times.

Neither procedure is particularly difficult and except for moving the unit does not require a lot of strength. The Drive Over feature that is reported to be coming could be especially handy if a hard surface is not available and if the unit is just left where it is removed.

I installed and used the MMM today for the first time today. Compared to the 54" Riding Mower the job was much faster because of the greater width 54" vs 72" and also because of higher ground speed. My lawn has some contours for drainage and some hills on the sides. Probably scalped a few more high spots than with the 54" deck. The turning radius of the JD is pretty good, but not as short as the 54" and the JD does not fit under trees and into some other tight spots as well. Trimming with the RM will be necessary.

I read that other posters are concerned with speed while cutting and today read a post that talked of cutting at 9 mph. It may well be possible. My lawn looks flat, but anything much over 5 - 6 mph started to get very rough.

 

[billyvan]

Thanks everyone, I'm really happy with it so far. And it does cut the grass short enough for my runway as well so I don't have to run out and buy a gang mower right away. I picked up the big box of parts I was missing to put on the front A frame hitch and will install it tomorrow. looking at it again I am not so sure the front hitch brackets are compatible with the MMM, I'm sure many of you know the answer to that already and I will find out tomorrow. I was hoping to use the front blade for grading my driveway in the summer but if it's not compatible I guess I will have to buy a rear blade or box blade. Not sure which will be better for me. Turning into an attachment junky already! Dam

 

[Nuru]

Thanks everyone, I'm really happy with it so far. And it does cut the grass short enough for my runway as well so I don't have to run out and buy a gang mower right away. I picked up the big box of parts I was missing to put on the front A frame hitch and will install it tomorrow. looking at it again I am not so sure the front hitch brackets are compatible with the MMM, I'm sure many of you know the answer to that already and I will find out tomorrow. I was hoping to use the front blade for grading my driveway in the summer but if it's not compatible I guess I will have to buy a rear blade or box blade. Not sure which will be better for me. Turning into an attachment junky already! Dam

Regarding the Front 3PT hitch, I was told on the 3520 it was compatible with the MMM, and the loader mounts. So you could run your MMM, the blade and keep the loader mounts on - not the loader though. Then again I might be mixing what I told up a bit and it was all referring just to the mounts for the MMM and Loader.

Only way to feed/fix that adddiction is to have someone buy you some birthday present attachments

 

[billyvan]

Regarding the Front 3PT hitch, I was told on the 3520 it was compatible with the MMM, and the loader mounts. So you could run your MMM, the blade and keep the loader mounts on - not the loader though. Then again I might be mixing what I told up a bit and it was all referring just to the mounts for the MMM and Loader.

Only way to feed/fix that adddiction is to have someone buy you some birthday present attachments

Hi Nuru, will be heading out to the garage here soon to put the A frame hitch on so I will know soon. Was reading on another forum on the 3666 blade about some mods kennyd had done for his MMM. May have to talk to him about that if I have issues, will try it first. Thanks for the info.......billyvan

 

[Nuru]

Hi Nuru, will be heading out to the garage here soon to put the A frame hitch on so I will know soon. Was reading on another forum on the 3666 blade about some mods kennyd had done for his MMM. May have to talk to him about that if I have issues, will try it first. Thanks for the info.......billyvan

.
Billyvan Ok, it will be good to hear what you learn. I am pretty confident, that you at least did not have to remove any of the existing mounts (MMM and Loader) to install and use the blade. i would hope you can keep the MMM on at the same time, but maybe not. Then you just get a 72" OnRamp MMM and either a winch or a cherry picker to lift it vertical and then you can just roll on/roll off!

 

[billyvan]

.
Billyvan Ok, it will be good to hear what you learn. I am pretty confident, that you at least did not have to remove any of the existing mounts (MMM and Loader) to install and use the blade. i would hope you can keep the MMM on at the same time, but maybe not. Then you just get a 72" OnRamp MMM and either a winch or a cherry picker to lift it vertical and then you can just roll on/roll off!

Turns out there is a special MMM bracket that is made to use with the front hitch so you can have the hitch and the MMM on at the same time. Of course it doesn't come with it so I will order one tomorrow, the cost is $249.00 up here. Well worth it though since taking the front hitch off even if it's only twice a year is a task I don't really want. As for using the loader with the front hitch on there is no problem. You just pull some pins to quickly remove the A frame leaving the rest on the tractor and install the loader. It's recommended to take the A frame off when not in use anyway and it only takes a minute. I'm still going to buy a rear blade for driveway maintenance work. As for removing the MMM on a concrete pad it is quite easy, not sure I'd want to try it on the grass as it is quite heavy. I expect I will use the loader and a sling to lift it up to do maintenance on the blades. The new drive on MMM that is coming out I'm sure will be much nicer and I expect a much bigger price tag with it.

 

[billyvan]

Turns out there is a special MMM bracket that is made to use with the front hitch so you can have the hitch and the MMM on at the same time. Of course it doesn't come with it so I will order one tomorrow, the cost is $249.00 up here. Well worth it though since taking the front hitch off even if it's only twice a year is a task I don't really want. As for using the loader with the front hitch on there is no problem. You just pull some pins to quickly remove the A frame leaving the rest on the tractor and install the loader. It's recommended to take the A frame off when not in use anyway and it only takes a minute. I'm still going to buy a rear blade for driveway maintenance work. As for removing the MMM on a concrete pad it is quite easy, not sure I'd want to try it on the grass as it is quite heavy. I expect I will use the loader and a sling to lift it up to do maintenance on the blades. The new drive on MMM that is coming out I'm sure will be much nicer and I expect a much bigger price tag with it.

Forgot to mention, yes you do have to remove the MMM brackets to mount the front hitch. There are slots for the MMM in the new front hitch brackets to replace them but they are in a different location plus the front PTO bracket is in the way which is why you need the special MMM mount.

 

[Nuru]

Turns out there is a special MMM bracket that is made to use with the front hitch so you can have the hitch and the MMM on at the same time. Of course it doesn't come with it so I will order one tomorrow, the cost is $249.00 up here. Well worth it though since taking the front hitch off even if it's only twice a year is a task I don't really want. As for using the loader with the front hitch on there is no problem. You just pull some pins to quickly remove the A frame leaving the rest on the tractor and install the loader. It's recommended to take the A frame off when not in use anyway and it only takes a minute. I'm still going to buy a rear blade for driveway maintenance work. As for removing the MMM on a concrete pad it is quite easy, not sure I'd want to try it on the grass as it is quite heavy. I expect I will use the loader and a sling to lift it up to do maintenance on the blades. The new drive on MMM that is coming out I'm sure will be much nicer and I expect a much bigger price tag with it.

Could you post that part number for that special MMM bracket? $250 is not that stiff for the amount of convenience it would bring. - just incase I bail on the flail or want to get the 72" ONRamp MMM later (used?). Yes it might be big bucks, all quiet on the western fron t right now with regards to that mower. Thanks a bunch Billyvan

 

[Nuru]

Forgot to mention, yes you do have to remove the MMM brackets to mount the front hitch. There are slots for the MMM in the new front hitch brackets to replace them but they are in a different location plus the front PTO bracket is in the way which is why you need the special MMM mount.

Sounds Good!

 

[Funkster]

You should really love your 3120. I've had mine since '05 w/300CX loader and have loved every minute. The loader is super easy to take off when I mow and is pretty stout. But the tractor has been a dream. Have over 400 hours on it now and am looking at adding rear fender extensions and front mud flaps. Enjoy!

-Funkster-